National team coach Bob Bradley believes a World Cup on American soil would continue to boost the popularity of soccer in the United States. "The opportunity to host again would be tremendous," he said. "We're getting into the top tier now, a very crucial point."

SITES OF USA BID

The FIFA Inspection Delegation will visit five U.S. cities this week as part of its evaluation of host cities for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The six-person delegation will visit New York City/New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Miami, Dallas and Houston.

The noisy vuvuzela horns of South Africa have been silenced, but the loudest buzz in international soccer now is the competition to host the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.

A delegation for soccer's global governing body Tuesday will begin a three-day tour of five of the 18 candidate host cities of the U.S. bid: New York/New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Miami, Dallas and Houston. FIFA will announce the two World Cup hosts Dec. 2.

The visit is an opportunity for U.S. Soccer to present a story line equal to those of World Cup hosts South Africa this year and Brazil in 2014.

"No two World Cup stories are alike," says Sunil Gulati, president of U.S. Soccer and chairman of the USA Bid Committee. "South Africa's story was about reconciliation, and Brazil is about passion. The USA story is about diversity and openness."

It's also about money and media attention. The USA hosted the 1994 World Cup, and its 3.59 million in attendance holds the record. This year in South Africa, Americans bought 130,000 of the 2.8 million tickets sold, second to the host nation. FIFA estimates about 50,000 Americans traveled to South Africa.

The USA hosted and won the 1999 Women's World Cup, and its final game with China attracted a record 90,185 fans.

U.S. Soccer estimates that an American World Cup in either 2018 or 2022 would attract up to 5 million ticket buyers and generate $1 billion in ticket sales.

Even the current weak U.S. economy won't be a deterrent, Gulati says.

"The world economy is not at its strongest point, either," he says. "But we're not talking about a nation that has to build a lot of infrastructure. And there is no way we would feel comfortable asking for public funds."

The U.S. bid includes 21 existing stadiums, 18 of which have been built or renovated in the last 20 years.

Locking up a World Cup would also be a boost for the sport at all levels in the USA, says U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley, whose squad was eliminated in the round of 16 with a loss to Ghana in this year's World Cup.

Bradley points out that the 1994 World Cup created a market for Major League Soccer and the 1999 win by the USA created a boom in the women's game.

"The opportunity to host again would be tremendous," Bradley says. "There have been only eight countries that have won the (men's) World Cup. We're getting into the top tier now, a very crucial point."

The growth of MLS has been less than spectacular, Bradley says, "but in the next 10 to 12 years it could be hugely popular."

Gulati has said a European country will probably be awarded the 2018 World Cup given it would have been 12 years since the continent hosted.

The USA faces competition from England, Russia, Spain-Portugal and Belgium-Netherlands for the right to host in 2018 or 2022. Australia, Japan, South Korea and Qatar are running to host the 2022 tournament only.

Because of its financial backing and sports media position, the USA is considered a strong contender for 2022. "No matter what year, winning the bid would create a powerful force in the game in the U.S.," Bradley says. "Knowing that we would be the host would inspire the dreams of many athletes and give them a tremendous goal to focus on."

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